Metallic billard cue



Nov. 3, 1925.

R. B. WOLPERT HETALLIC BILLIARD CUE Filed April 13. 1925 [/1 van for Faber) B. Wo/ 9r) B A): H2 orneye 14 f Patented Nov. 3, 1925 UNITED STATES ROBERT B. WOLPEBT, OF KINNEAPOLIS MINNESOTA METALLIC BILLABD CUE.

Application filed s in 18, 1825. Serial No. 22,818.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, ROBERT B. VVoLrER'r, a citizen of the United States, residing at Minneapolis, in the county of Hennepm and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Im rovement's in Metallic Billiard Cues; and do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as Wlll enable others skilled in the art to which it ap-' pertains to make and use the same.

M invention rovides a metallic bllliard cue iaving all 0 the desirable features and free from the defects of a wooden billiard cue, and which, moreover, may be commercially made at comparatively small cost. Generally stated, the invention consists of the novel construction, combinations and arrangement of parts hereinafter descrlbed and defined in the claims.

As is well known, a billiard one must have increasing diameter toward its butt end. In practice, I have found it practicall 1mpossible or, at any rate, very expensive to make metal billiard cues from tapered metal tubes. Such tapered metal tubes are not available as a commercial article nor can tapered metal tubes be readily rolled but must be cast. It is practically impossible to produce cast metal tubes in light form with uniform walls. I have found that I can make a highly efiicient billiard cue at very reasonably low cost by the use of a pluralit of rolled metal truly cylindrical tubes 0 different diameters and connecting such tubes by tapered reducing couplings. Moreover, these reducing couplings may be provided with counterbalancing ends or extremities capable of being readily cut off, filed away or reduced so as to give the cue the desired balance.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate a billiard cue designed in accordance with my invention, like characters indicate like parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view showing the complete cue; and

Fi 2 is a view, with parts broken away, showing the billiard one with some parts sectioned and some parts in full Ian and showing the said parts on a nine larger scale than in Fig. 1.

The body rtlon of the cue illustrated is made up 0 t ree rolled metal tubes 3, 4 and 5, connected b tapered reducing couplings 6 and 7. Sai tubes 3, 4 and 5 are of true cylmdrical form and are of increasing diameter in the order named. The tube 3 is of the proper diameter for the tip end portion of the cue, while the tube 5 is of the proper diameter for the butt end of the cue. The tapered coupling 6, at its large end, has a threaded shank 8 screwed into the adjacent end of the tube 4, and at its small end has a threaded shank 9 screwed into the adjacent end of the tube 3. Beyond the threaded shanks 8 and 9, said coupling is provided with reduced end portions 8 and 9 that serve as counterbalancing elements and, as indicated, are adapted to be filed or cut away to give the cue its proper balance.

The coupling 7 is like the coupling 6, only larger in diameter. It is provided at its large end with a threaded shank 10 screwed into the adjacent end of the tube 5 and is provided at its small end with a threaded shank 11 screwed into the ad'acent end of the tube 4. Beyond the shan s 10 and 11, said coupling is provided with reduced portions 10 and 11, that also serve as counterbalances adapted to be filed or cut away more or less to give the cue its proper balance. In one instance in Fig. 2, a lock pin or peg 12 is shown as driven into seats formed in the tube 5 and shank 10 to lock the coupling to the tube; and, of course, this scheme may be applied to the other threaded joints.

The one tip 13 is shown as directly applied to a tip base or cap 14 having a threaded stud or shank 15 screwed into the tip end of the tube 3. The numeral 16 indicates a soft rubber bar or plug that is forced under some compression into the tube 3 and against the end of which the trunnion 15 is pressed. This pliable plug 16 serves to very considerably reduce the vibration in a cue and, hence, the noise produced in striking the billiard ball, and, of course, it also gives some weight to the tip end of the one and is, therefore, an element in balancing the cue. Other non-resilient or sound-absorbing material may be used for this purpose, in lieu of the rubber plug.

The outer end of the tube 5 is closed by a plplg or cap 17 working with screwthrea ed engagement therein and preferably also provided with a reduced inner end portion 17 adapted to be cut or filed away more or less to vary the balance of the cue.

Preferably, the cap [7, in its outer end, is formed with an annular dove-tailed seat that receives and holds asoft rubber buffer 18, which, if the cue be dropped onto the floor butt end downward, as is frequently the practice, will cushion the impact and deaden the sound.

If desired, of course, the tapered coupling 6 may be made hollow to reduce the weight of the tube. It will he noted that the couplings (v and 7 are two truncated cones and that they blend smoothly into the adjacent ends of the cylindrical tips connected thereb In the use of the cue, the tube 8 will aflord a handle, while the tube 3 will be moved over the guiding finger. In practice, I have found that there is an advantage in having the said tip end portion afforded by the tube 3 of true cylindrical form, because the axis of the one will not then be shifted laterally by the axial movement of the one on the guiding finger or hand From a manufacturing point of view, the use of the true cylindrical tubes is of the utmost importance, for they may be commerciall obtained at very reasonable cost, so that the cue made up thereof can be made up and sold at a price that will compete with an ordinary wooden cue. Moreover, for reasons indicated, thecylindrical sections or tubes make a better cue than tapered sections or tubes. The tubes and couplings may be made of any suitable metal, but, advisably, will be made of aluminum or some alloy of aluminum, which is of light weight as compared with the heavier metals. The exterior of the cue may be provided with any form of smooth surface finish, but preferably would be given what is known as a satin or dip finish.

What I claim is:

1. A billiard one made up of a plurality of cylindrical sections progressively increas ing in diameter from the tip toward the butt end and connected by tapered reducing couplings.

2. A billiard cue made up of a plurality of cylindrical sections progressively increasing in diameter from the tip toward the butt end and connected by tapered reducing cou lin s, said eou lin havin threaded shaiiks crewed int th e adjaeegt ends of said tubes.

3. A billiard one made up of a plurality of cylindrical sections progressively increas ing in diameter from the tip toward the butt end and connected by tapered reducin" couplings, said couplings having threader shanks screwed into the ad'acent ends of said tubes, and certain of said shanks having reduced extensions adapted to be cut or filed away more or less to balance the cue. V

4. A billiard one made up of a plurality of cylindrical sections progressively increasing in diameter from the tip toward the butt end and connected by tapered reducin couplings, said couplings having threade shanks screwed into the adjacent ends of 10 said tubes, and a lock pin driven into seats formed in certain of said tubes and shanks to lock the same against relative rotation.

5. A billiard one made up of a plurality of cylindrical sections progressively increasing in diameter from the tip toward the butt end and connected by tapered reduced couplings, a one tip applied to the tip end of the smallest of sai tubes, and a plug of vibration-reducing material inserted into the tip end of said small tube adjacent to said one tip.

6. A billiard one made up of a plurality of cylindrical sections progressively increasing in diameter from the tip toward the butt end and connected by ta ered reducing couplin s, and a plug screwe into the butt end of t e largest of said tubes.

7. The structure defined in claim 6 in which said latter noted plug is rovided with a reduced inner end portion a a ted to be filed or cut away more or less to alance the cue.

8. The structure defined in claim 6 in ROBERT B. WOLPERT. 

